Austrian Industry Research Articles

A New Economic History of the Habsburg Monarchy

Previous articleNext article No AccessReview Articles: Recent Historiography of Germany and AustriaA New Economic History of the Habsburg MonarchyThomas F. HuertasThomas F. Huertas Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Journal of Modern History Volume 47, Number 1Mar., 1975 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/241299 Views: 6Total views on this site Copyright 1975 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Austrian Labor's Bid for Power: The Role of the Trade Union Federation

In discussing the goals and tactics of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions since its creation in 1945, the author of this article documents in detail his belief that Austrian labor's primary concern, now as in the First Republic, is the attainment of political power and the realization of a Socialist state. In spite of many obstacles, the labor movement has enjoyed considerable success in its drive for power, as indicated by the public support given its political wing, the Socialist party, and the fact that a large share of Austrian industry is publicly owned or otherwise controlled. The author is careful to point out, however, that this concern with political goals does not mean that Austrian unions neglect their collective bargaining responsibilities. He also explains why codetermination, though formally accepted as a goal, has never been pressed with such urgency in Austria as in West Germany. (Author's abstract courtesy EBSCO.)

Petroleum Developments in Europe in 1955

Petroleum production in western Europe excluding Austria increased 25 per cent in 1955, or at a greater rate than in 1954, due to the placing on full production of two large fields discovered in previous years, Parentis in France, and Ragusa in Sicily, as well as steady increases in production in Germany and the Netherlands. The Austrian oil industry was returned by Russia to Austrian control in August. As Austrian production is greater than that of any other country in the western zone of Europe, this was the chief factor in a substantial boost in daily average production in western Europe from 87,486 barrels in 1954 to 177,265 barrels in 1955. West Germany was the second most important producing country, but in spite of intensified drilling and exploration, German reser es showed only a modest increase. One of the most significant new developments of the year was the discovery of oil shallower than 2,000 feet in two fields in the Abruzzi region of Sicily. Another well in Abruzzi had good showings of low-gravity oil in the Lower Cretaceous at about 10,000 feet.

Philippe de Girard and the Introduction of Mechanical Flax Spinning in Austria

The Industrial Revolution had begun to affect the Austrian textile industry by the beginning of the nineteenth century. First to feel the effects were the woolen industry and the new cotton industry, which soon had copies of the new English spinning machines in operation. In England adaptation of these machines to flax had been made by John Marshall at Leeds as early as 1793, so that flax was spun dry in successful competition with hand-spun yarn, but only in the coarser yarns up to No. 16. However, similar attempts were not successful in Austria. The machines and processes were not so efficient as the English and could not compete with the cheap domestic hand-spun yarn. Because flax fibers are held together by a gum, they cannot be spun like cotton without excessive waste. Special treatment and machines had to be devised in order that flax might be spun in the range of numbers demanded by the market, and profitably. In the second decade of the new century efforts were being made in Austria, as elsewhere, to solve these special problems. Production of linen goods led all other industries in the monarchy. It provided a livelihood, wholly or in part, for thousands of families in town and country and constituted an important export. But the severe blows dealt by the Napoleonic Wars were followed by growing competition from more progressive linen industries in western Europe and especially from the rapidly growing and more easily mechanized cotton industry. The importance of the introduction of machinery in the Austrian linen industry as a means of meeting these threats to its very existence thus becomes apparent.

Austrian Electrical Industries during the War

Austrian Electrical Industries during the War